Infant incubator



1953 E. c. DIXON :rAL

INFANT INCUBATOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 E. c. DIXON .ETAL

INFANT INCUBATOR Jan. 6, 1953 Filed 0012'. 25, 1950 INVENTORS [ow-mo C.01x0 W/u/AM 1 CHM r0 M1, 4 I I Ir 41v:

Patented Jan. 6, 1953 Chii'ton, Cleveland; Ohio, sassi-g-nors to'i-flonti mental'HospitaIIService;Inc.;lzakewood,:Qhiom;

comoratinneofflhio;

Application -O1:tdYmY ZS, 1950,,LSB1ldljN0. 1921016 This inventionrelates to incubators of the type used in caring "for "infants and, as-one o'f' its objects, aims to "provideanimproved constructionwhich willenable *a device of this kind to "render much more *vari edandsatisfactory service than "has been available heretofore and which,nevertheless, is simple; attractive and" inexpensive in character.

Another obj ect is 'toprovidean'incubator which willserve very'efiicientlyincaring for "premature and full term'iniants by makinganumber-of treating agents available as needed in the incubation chamber,namely, heating, "cooling,- humidificationand' oxygen gas, and whichisparticularly well suited and "hi hly practical for treating an infantreceiving post=operative"care, or'for'isolating .an'infant against thespreadof a contagious disease.

.Afurther object is to providean improved' incubator of this characterin which the incubation chamber is covered, andi'formed "in part, by acanopy made of a flexible transparent 'sheetmaiterial which willeffectively confine theagentsiintended to be retained in theincubationchamber while excluding others intendedjtobe 'excluded', which"will render the infant clearly visiblestatall times 'andfromallis'ides, and which-is inexpensive and disposable'such'thatrithecanopy can: be carded after aperiodoi'treatment of an'infant having a contagious disease.

Still another obj'ect is'to provide an improved incubator of thecharacter just mentioned, 'in' which frame means, preferably adetachable frame meansyextending above an open-"tophousing supports theflexible transparent canopy in upwardly arched relation over theincubation chamber such'that the side and top'walls of the incubationchamber are formed, in part, by the canopy.

It is likewise an object of this "invention to provide an improvedinfantincubator or the. character above referred to inwhich heating,

incubator substantially as indicated by section.

line of Fig. 3;

Fig; 3 "is-"a longitudinal vertical section taken through the "incubatersubstantially as indicated by-rsectioniline 3-3 of Fig. 2;

4 is -.a "transverse vertical section taken through the incubatorsubstantially on section line "5 -"4'i',0f Fig. 3;

Fig. "5 is a plan view of the humidifying pan showingthe same in"detached relation; and

Fig. '6 is :a perspective view showinga-modifledform of the "transparentflexible 'canopy.

"one practical embodiment of the invention the drawings show :anincubator l i! "comprising aanuprig'htopen-tophousing Hand a transparentflexible canopy 12 extending above "the housing and defining with theopen-top thereof'an 'incubation -chamber "l'3in which islocatecl a bedI14 adapted to receive an ini'antthereon.

.Th'e housing 'I.l"is'here shown as being in the form. of an uprightcabinet having supporting castersllfi atthebottom thereof which willpermit the incubator Lto bereadily rolled along .a fioor from onestation toanother. The housing H comppisgs pairs .01 opposeduprightsideand .end "\valls ..-l'(i, {land i8, i9. Thehousing also in?cludestransverse walls 20 .and forming upper and-lower floors in thecabinet and a horizontal via-1122a formingapart of a bedsupport-221110011 whiehthe bed, I 4. issupported. The upper floor 20.forms the bottom of t e incubation chamber 1:3 and. the lower floor 2|forms the bottom .of a storage space-.Nrin which blankets orotherparaphemal-iamay be .placed. Access to. the storage spaceliltis-afiordedv by a hinged. door 24.

.As has already been indicated above in a general 'way', the transparent.canopy l2 constitutes an importan-t feature of the-improved incubator mand will now be "further described. The canopyflz, together with asupporting frame means 25, constitutes an upwardly arched cover for theincubation chamber l 3' and since the canopy is transparent, an infantlying on the bed M will be clearly visible "from all sides of theincubator and from all directions. The canopy itself comprises abag-like 'stucture having a generally horizontal top wall I2a-and pairsof opposed side and end walls 12b and 1-20. The canopy 1-! has anopening-at the bottom thereof of substantially the same size andquadrangular plansha-pe as the open-top of the housing I I suchv thatwhen the canopy is applied "to the housing the "lower-edge portions ofthe canopy the polyvinyl sheet material of appropriate size and shape.The canopy is preferably provided around the lower edge thereof with asuitable binding or hem 26 for reinforcement at this point and whichwill enable the canopy to. be applied to the frame means 25 by graspingthe lower edge portions and drawing the canopy downwardly ini intersectat substantially right angles and define an opening 29 and a closingfiap 30. The opening 29 is of a size to permit-an infant to be movedinto or out of the incubation chamber and 'also affords access to theincubation chamber for caring for an infant lying on the'bed I4. Theedge portions of the canopy at the location of the slits 27 and 28 areprovided with fastening means 2la and 28a of the slide type which willpermit the flap 3% to be secured in a position to'par'tially orcompletely close the opening 29. Additional openings can be provided inthe walls of the canopy I2 at other desired points, for example, the topwall In can be provided with openings in the form of slits 3I which areadaptedto be closed partially or completely by slide typ fasteners 3Ia.The openings 3i provide communi-' The frame means 25 may comprise anysuit-f able frame structure adapted to be supported on the housing H soas to extend thereabove and suitably support the canopy I2 in distendedrela tion over the open-top of the housing. In this instance the framemeans comprises a pair ofupwardly bowed bars 32 having substantially thecanopy is made from a transparent sheet material, the top, side and endwalls thereof will be transparent and will afford a clear view of theinfant in the incubation chamber from all sides of the incubator whichwill greatly facilitate the work of watching over and caring for theinfant. The sheet material of the canopy I2 is substantially imperviousto air and moisture and therefore forms a closure for the incubationchamber which will effectively isolate the chamher from, the atmosphereof the room in which horizontal top portions 32a extendinglongitudinally of the housing in parallel relation to each other anddepending end portions 32b which may be detachably connected with thehousing by being inserted into sockets'34 provided atthe.

When the canopy I2 has beenapplied to the open-top housing II it extendsthereover in up. wardly arched relation, as shown in Fig. 1, so as tocooperate with such open-top in defining the incubation chamber I3. Whenthe canopy is thus installed the edge portions extending around thebottom opening thereof telescope over the top portion ofthe housing suchthat the,

incubation chamber I3. will be substantially closed except for theaccess and ventilation openings 23 and 3i provided in th canopy. Sincewhen these agents are supplied thereto.

the incubator is located and will effectively retain moisture and oxygenin the incubation chamber Because of this impervious.characteristic ofthe canopy the-incubator can be used effectively in isolating an infantagainst infection by a contagious disease and, conversely, when theincubator is used in treating a diseased infant the canopy willeffectively isolate the diseased infant against the spread of thedisease to other infants in the same hospital. The plastic sheetmaterial of which the canopy I2is constructed is a relativelyinexpensive material and, hence, after the canopy has been in use for aperiod of time, such as for the treatment of a v diseased infant, it canbe burned or otherwise disposed of and a new canopy. substituted in itsplace.

With the construction thus far described above, it will be seen that thecanopy I2 can be easily and quickly applied to the housing II, and canalso be readily removed therefrom when the walls of the housing definingthe lower portion of the incubation chamberare to be cleaned or when anew canopy is to be substituted. The frame means 25 is preferablydetachable from the housing If and this can be readily accomplished bydisengaging the 'ends 32b of the frame members 32 from the sockets 34.The removable characteristic of the canopy I2 and the frame means 25will also permit the, housing II to be used as a bassinet instead of anincubator whenever this is desirable.

To'provide for desired ventilation and more effective heating, coolingand humidification of the incubation chamber I 3, the housing I I isconstructedv with the horizontal bed support 22 spaced'above the upperfloor 2i! so as to define therebetween a horizontal air passage 36 andwith the upright ends 31 and 38 of the bed support spaced inwardly fromthe upright end walls I8 and I9 of the housing so as to define uprightair passages 3'3 and which connect the ends of the horizontal airpassage36 withthe portion of the incubation'chamber which is located above thebed l4. In thus defining the air passages 36, 39 and 40, the horizontaland vertical walls 22a, 3'! and 38 of the bed support extend laterallyof the housing between the front and rear side wall l3 and I1 thereof.The horizontal wall 22a. is suitably connected with the sidewalls of thehousing' as by means of longitudinally extending angle irons M which arewelded or otherwise secured to such side walls. With the arrangement ofair passages just described above, it will be seen that they provide aclosed path for a circulation of air by connection through theincubation chamber I3 in which the direction of the airflow isdownwardly. through the air passage 39, laterally toward, the rightthrough the horizontal air passage 36, upwardly through the air passage46 and then laterally toward the left through the upper portion of theincubation chamber.-

For supplyingj'heat. to the incubator, a heatexchanger 4I. comprising aresistance type of assessor electric heating elemental-2isiproyidediinitheiair passage 36 and extends substantiallyacrosszsztlns;

passage between- 'the front @andxrear; sideiwalls :ll 6 and t1. Tofacilitate the :transferaof heatafrom the element 432 to the streams-ofi-air, theheatexchanger klalsc comprises aplurality ofxradiati-on plates:43 disposed inspaced-apartsubstam tiallyparallel relation, as shown-"Fig. ilriand' between-which-the air stream fl'ows. '-'I'heheating.

element- 424s here shown as being. asubstantia'lly U-shapedmember.extendin through laligned. slots 43a; of the radiation plates. 2A3 andwhose ends constitute-terminals andzare disposed iinca. control chamber44'. 'l he heat exchangers is.

preferably constructed as a, preformed assembly unit'w-hich *is adaptedtobe. assembled dnto the housing I' l so as to occupytheposition-showniin Figs. andaanddescribed above.

The chamber44 is defined by=a sheet-smetal box 45 having substantiallyairtight-connection with the f-ront wall t6 of the main: housing :I lsoas to-prevent ox-ygen-enriched-air .of the incubation chamber fromcoming in contact with ex!- posedelectrical parts. I The supply ofelec'tric current to-the heating element -'4 2-is :controlledby a.combined switch and thermostatdevice lfi having an actuating-knob 45a.-accessible at -the dront of the incubatcr. The housing =44 is closed atthe front thereof by a sheet :metalcover 41' which also forms asupport'ior thecombinedswitchand thermostat device as. A -pairofsi'gna-llamps -48:

and-49- are-also providedon the-cover 41' and indicate the operatingconditions of the electric heating: element 42. Aconductor-cord-extending into the-housin through-theoover t'l supplieselectric current" to the heating-element42 and the signal lamps-d8 and4-9.

'iFor-humidi-iying the incubation chamber I-3an open-top humidifying pan51' isdisposed in'the horizontal air passage 35 and contains a supplyof:water-52 having anexposed surfaceacross V} which the air of-this-passage flows. The-pan'SI is here shown as being in the form-ofadrawer supported in a pair ofrunways 5-3 and ad'apted to be withdrawnfromthe housing H through an opening in the front wall 1'6 thereof. The"humidification of" the incubation chamber i3 can bBCOIItIOHBd, ifdesired, by constructing the pan- 5'l with a plurality of watercompartments of differentplan areas, as shown -in*Fig. =5; Forthispurpose thepanis provided with partition means Sdwhich divides theinterior of the pan into-a plurality of compartments of different sizes.Each compartment ofthe pan provides'a dif ferentsurface area of waterfor supplying moisture to the air-stream and, by placingwater in one ormore of these compartments, a number of different surface values can beobtained for supplying correspondingly different amounts-ofhumidification to-the air being circulated;

Cooling of theair of the incubation chamber I3-is produced by providinga "heat-exchanger 56' towhich suitable cooling medium can be supplied;In this instance the heat-exchanger comprises a container 56a adapted tohold a quantity of ice cubes, or the like, and over which the air of theincubation chamber flows and is. cooled thereby, particularly duringmovement of 6. Theicontainerififiarshcwn.inithisiinstancezlsamadeoftexpanded sheet metal. andxincludes a: drip pan. 5! which: is securedto and. extends around the. lowemendeof'the'container. The drip -panr5lis provided with a drain spout "58 depending from the underside thereofIhe heat-exchanger 56 is located at one end oftheabed J4, inxthisinstance .adjacentthe upright-end wallt31 of the bed support :22, andcanbe supportedin this location by being received onsshelf meansconstitutlng an extension 359 of the; bed'.-support. 'In this locationthe heat-exchanger-.56 is in a position to be readily traversed by .theairaof the incubation chamber which. flows laterally and downwardly intothea'ir passage 39. The extension 59hr .thebed support-is provided withadepending drain pipe Bil which extends. downwardly through the upperfloor .20 of the housing ll and :discharges into a bucket or othersuitable-container 6i vlocatedin the storage com.-

partment 4-23. The heat-exchanger 56, including the drip pan "-5.1 andthe drainage spout '58, is removable. from-the'incuba'tor for filling orcleaning and when .this heat-exchanger has "been charged: with aquantity of ice it can be readily inserted-into. theeincubator byplacing the same on'the shelf extension 59 with the drain spout 58'extending into the drain pipe 60. To prevent the escape'cf oxygenfromlthe incubation cham-- ber, the .drain pipe 00 may have a hoseextensioniliilathereon whose delivery end is submerged in alquantity ofwatercontaincd in the bucket (H.

The. bed l.4.- upon which the infant isto lie comprises apad or mattressE2 of any appropriate type and a .platev 635 forming a substantiallyflat rigidsupport for the pad. The plate 63 preferably'hasdownturnedflanges 63a extending along the sidesxthereof which serve to stiffen theplate and also serve as feet adapted to rest on. the horizontal wall 22aof the bed support.

Anothernovel feature of the improved incuba-- for [it provides forsupporting the bed 14 in inclined relation to the horizontal wall 22a,as shown .in Fig. Forsupporting: the bed inthis relation a bar 64comprising an angle i-bar of aluminum, ,or other. suitable metal,extends transverselyof the incubation 'chamber' beneath thezplatea63;:Lhe bar lifi has the free-edgesofits legs resting-on rthe 'horizont'alwall 22a and theedge-of itscheel portion uppermost so as to form a.stable support of triangular cross-section for the wplate 6'3. The bar64 is preferably not secured to the horizontal wall 2 2a but isshiftable thereon to difierent locations between the'upright end walls-31 and '38- of thebed support so as to vary the angleof inclination atwhich the-plate 63 willbesupported.

Thebar 64 thus provides a very simple -yet efiectivemeans -for holdingthe bed -I-4-'-at a-desired angle of inclination which is recommended bydoctorsefor the treatment of infants in -incuba-' tors. The. useofthebar-Gt also produces an insulating'airgspac 6411. under the plate 63:whi'ch will preventlexcessive heating of the bed I i such asmight-occur if the bed were in direct contact with the horizontal wall12a. When itis desired to have. the bed I4 occupy a horizontal positionin. the incubator, the :bar 2615 can be removed whereupon the plate 63will be supported by itsendfianges zfi-3a which will hold the platespaced aboveathe.horizontalwall 22a with a heat 'insulat ing air spacemaintained therebetween.

The transfer-of heat between the incubatorand the room atmosphere isretarded by providing the housing with asuitable heat-insulating lining65 on the side walls l6 and IT, on the end wall l9; and on the floor 2!!for at least the portion thereof located beneath the heat-exchanger 4|.A heat-insulating layer 66 of suitable material is also disposed inoverlying relation to the plates 43 of the heat-exchanger M to preventtoo much heat from being supplied to the portion of the horizontal wall220. located directly thereabove.

To provide for the admission of oxygen or other gaseous treating mediumto the incubation chamber IS, the canopy I2 is equipped with a nipple 61which is here shown as being mounted on the rear side wall [2a and towhich a hose 67a can be readily connected for supplying oxygen or othergas from a tank or other available source (not shown). cubation chamberis determined or indicated by a thermometer device 68 located in theincubation chamber and suspended from one of the bars 32 of the framemeans 25. In this instance the thermometer device comprises wet and drybulb thermometers 68a and 6827 which can be readily observed through thetransparent canopy I2.

Fig. 6 of the drawings shows a canopy 69 of a modified form which issimilar in construction to the canopy 12 above described and serves thesame purpose. The modified canopy 69 differs from the canopy l2 onlywith respect to the character and location of th access opening 70. Inthe canopy 69 the access opening 16 is provided by constructing thefront wall 69a with two laterally spaced substantially parallel uprightslits H and 12 so as to define therebetween the access opening and aflap 73 adapted to close this opening. Edge portions of the slits H and12 are provided with slide type fasteners 14 by which the flap 13 can besecured in wholly or partially closed relation. The corner portions 15and 15 of the canopy are adapted to be held in close fitting engagementwith the upper portion of the housing II as by means of an elastic strip1'! having its ends connected to these corner portions and spanning theopening 18 at the lower edge thereof.

From the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings it will nOwbe readily understood that this invention provides an improved infantincubator of attractive appearance and of a very simple, compact, andpractical character. It will also be understood that the improvedconstruction provided by this invention makes such an incubator highlypractical and satisfactory for use in treating or caring for prematureor full term infants, as well as for treating or isolating infantsreceiving post-operative care or being treated for contagious disease.It will also be seen that the transparent canopy forming the cover forthe incubation chamber permits the infant therein to be readily observedfrom all sides and directions and constitutes an inexpensive anddisposable canopy which can be discarded after treatment of an infanthaving a contagious disease. Additionally, it will be seen that thisinvention provides an improved construction for such an incubator byWhich heating, cooling and humidification can be more satisfactorilyobtained and in which a novel bed support permits inclination of the bedfor more satisfactory treatment of the infant in accordance witrecommended medical practice.

Although the improved infant incubator of this invention has beenillustrated and described herein to a somewhat detailed extent, it willbe understood, of course, that the invention is not to be regarded asbeing limited correspondingly in scope but includes all changes andmodifica- The temperature of the air in the in tions coming within theterms of the claims hereof.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

.1.-In an infant incubator, a housing having walls including uprightside walls defining an open-top incubation chamber, upwardly archedframe means mounted on said side walls and extending above saidincubation chamber, a canopy comprising transparent flexible sheetmaterial and having top and side walls and a bottom opening, said canopybeing telescoped over said frame means and removably supported therebyin distended relation over said incubation chamber and having its loweredge portions extending downwardly in overlapping relation to the sidewalls of said housing, and bed means in said incuba tion chamber forsupporting an infant therein at an elevation such that the infant willbe visible through the side walls of said canopy from at members on saidhousing, a canopy having connected top and side walls made oftransparent flexible sheet material and being open at the bottomthereof, said canopy being telescoped over said bowed frame members andremovably sup ported thereby in distended relation over said in-vcubation chamber and having the lower edge portions of its bottomopening extending downwardly in overlapping relation to the side wallsof said housing and bed means in said incubation chamber for supportingan infant therein at an elevation such that the infant will be visiblethrough the side walls of said canopy from at least three lateraldirections.

I 3. In an infant incubator, a housing having pairs of opposed uprightside and end walls and a transverse floor defining an open-topincubation chamber, frame means mounted on said housing and extendingthereabove, a canopy removably supported by said frame means. andforming an upwardly arched cover for said incubation: chamber, bed meansextending between and connected with the side walls of said housing andcomprising a transverse bottom wall and a pair of upright end walls,said bed means having its bottom wall spaced above said floor anddefining with the latter a longitudinal substantially horizontal airpassage and with its end walls spacedinwardly from the end walls of saidhousing and defining therewith a pair of upright air passages connectingthe ends of said horizontal air passage with the upper portion of theincubation chamber which is located above said bed means, saidhorizontal and upright air passages forming with said upper portion ofthe incubation chambera closed-loop circuitous path for airrecirculation, and heat-exchange means disposed in said horizontalpassage and adapted to heat the air flowing therethrough, said canopycomprising transparent flexible sheet material and having top and sidewalls and a bottom opening and being distended over said frame means andsaid canopy also having the lower edge portion of its bottom openingextending downwardly in overlapping relation to the side and end wallsof moan-see a said housingsaid bed means being located in saidincubation chamber for" supporting an infant therein at-anelevation-such that; the infant-will mo ably supported-by said framemeans and forming an upwardly arched cover for said incubation chamber,bed means extending between and connected with the side walls of saidhousing and comprising a transverse bottom wall and a pair of uprightend walls, said bed means having its bottom wall spaced above said floorand defining with the latter a longitudinal substantially horizontal airpassage and with its end Walls spaced inwardly from the end walls ofsaid housing and defining therewith a pair of upright air passagesconnecting the ends of said horizontal air passage with the upperportion of the incubation chamber which is located above said bed means,said horizontal and upright air passages forming with said upper portionof the incubation chamber a closed-loop circuitous path for airrecirculation, heat-exchange means disposed in said horizontal airpassage and adapted to heat the air flowing therethrough, and anopen-top humidifying pan disposed in said horizontal air passage andproviding a reservoir adapted to supply moisture to air flowingthereacross, said canopy comprising transparent flexible sheet materialand having top and side walls and a bottom opening and being distendedover said frame means and said canopy also having the lower edge portionof its bottom opening extending downwardly in overlapping relation tothe side and end walls of said housing, said bed means being located insaid incubation chamber for supporting an infant therein at an elevationsuch that the infant will be visible through the side walls of saidcanopy from at least three lateral directions.

5. In an infant incubator, a housing having walls defining an incubationchamber, frame means supported by said housing and extending thereabove,a canopy cover for said incubation chamber comprising connected top andside walls formed of transparent flexible sheet material, said canopycover having a bottom opening and being removably telescoped over saidframe means and supported thereby in distended relation over saidincubation chamber with edge portions of said bottom opening extendingdownwardly in overlapping relation to the upper portion of said housing,the front wall of said canopy cover having intersecting slits thereindefining an opening affording access to said incubation chamber and alsodefining a flap portion of the canopy cover adapted to close suchopening, and fastening means of the slide type adapted to connect edgeportions of said canopy cover along said slits for releasably holdingsaid flap in closed position.

6. In an infant incubator, a housing having Walls defining an incubationchamber, frame means supported by said housing and extending thereabove,a canopy cover for said incubation chamber comprising connected top andside walls formed of transparent flexible sheet material, said canopycover having a bottom opening and being removably telescoped over saidframe means and supported by the latter in distended relation over saidincubation chamber with edge 'portionsiof'said bottom opening-extendingdownwardly m overlapping relation to the upper porto close-such opening,and fastening means of the slide type adapted to connect edge portionsofsaid canopy cover along said slits for releasably holding 'saidflapiia closed position.

7 III-fall infant incubator, a housing having pairs of' opp'osed-upright side and end walls and a transverse floor defining an open-topincubation chamber, frame means mounted on said housing and extendingthereabove, a canopy removably supported by said frame means and formingan upwardly arched cover for said incubation chamber, bed meansextending between and connected with the side walls of said housing andcomprising a transverse bottom wall and a pair of upright end walls,said bed means being located in said incubation chamber with its bottomwall spaced above said floor and defining with the latter a longitudinalsubstantially horizontal air passage and with its end walls spacedinwardly from the end walls of said housing and defining therewith apair of upright air passages connecting the ends of said horizontal airpassage with the upper portion of the incubation chamber which islocated above said bed means, said horizontal and upright air passagesforming with said upper portion of the incubation chamber a closed-loopcircuitous path for air recirculation, shelf means constituting anextension of said bed means and located in one of said upright airpassages, and a heat exchanger supported on said shelf means and adaptedto be supplied with cooling medium for cooling the air flowing throughsaid one upright air passage, said canopy comprising transparentflexible sheet material and having top and side walls and a bottomopening and being distended over said frame means with the edge portionsof said bottom opening extending downwardly in overlapping relation tothe upper portion of said housing.

8. In an infant incubator, a housing having pairs of opposed uprightside and end walls and a transverse floor defining an open-topincubation chamber, frame means mounted on said housing and extendingthereabove, a canopy removably supported by said frame means and formingan upwardly arched cover for said incubation chamber, bed meansextending between and connected with the side walls of said housing andcomprising a transverse bottom wall and a pair of upright end walls,said bed means having its bottom wall spaced above said floor anddefining with the latter a longitudinal substantially horizontal airpassage and with its end walls spaced inwardly from the end walls ofsaid housing and defining therewith a pair of upright air passagesconnecting the ends of said horizontal air passage with the upperportion of the incubation chamber which is located above said bed means,said horizontal and upright air passages forming with said upper portionof the incubation chamber a closed-loop circuitous path for airrecirculation, shelf means constituting an extension of said bed meansand located in one of said upright air passages, and a heat-exchangersupported on said shelf means and comprising an open-top containeradapted to be supplied with ice for cooling the air flowing through saidone upright passage, said canopy comprising transparent flexible sheetmaterial and having 11 12 top and side walls and a bottom opening andbeing distended over said frame means with edge REFERENCES CITEDPortlons of said bottom Opening overlapping the The following referencesare of record in the upper portion of said housing and said canopy fil fthis patent; also having an opening in one of its walls and 5 located topermit ice to be supplied. therethrough UNITED STATES PATENTS to saidcontainer, said bed means being located Number Name Date in saidincubation chamber for supporting an 2,155,209 Walker Apr. 18, 1939infant therein at an elevation such that "the. in- 2,246,820 Taylor June24, 1941 rant will be visible through the side walls of said 102,288,538 Morrison June 30, 1942 canopy from at least three lateraldirections. 2,292,120 Hanby Aug. 4, 1942 EDWARD C. DIXON. WILLIAM E.CHILTON.

